 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Roxy Hunter and the Secret of the Shaman
- Review Date: January 30, 2008
- NR
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2008
Common Sense Media says
Tween detective breaks rules, but escapade is fun.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the main character of this made-for-TV movie is an opinionated, strong-willed tween whose determination to solve mysteries often leads her to break rules (she sneaks out at night and steals a piece of a town monument) and act disrespectfully to adults and rudely to peers. But she's also self-reliant and resourceful and has enough self-esteem to stand by her convictions in the face of opposition. Suspense is mild enough that it won't bother the movie's target tween viewers, but two scenes show the supposed ghost of a young girl, and a few characters wrestle with having lost loved ones.
What's the story?
As she settles into life in Serenity Falls, young gumshoe Roxy Hunter (Aria Wallace) stumbles upon another mystery in need of solving. A local vagrant (Richard McMillan) is building an unusual structure in the woods, and Roxy's sense of adventure leads her to believe that he's a shaman in disguise. She appoints herself his apprentice, and when a missing piece of the town's new monument is stolen and turns up among his things, Roxy is the only one who insists he's innocent. Only with her determination -- and some impressive detective work from her best friend, Max (Demetrius Joyette) -- can the real culprit be discovered.
Is it any good?
There's no doubt that tweens -- especially girls -- will thoroughly enjoy Roxy's adventures. And in many ways, the precocious gumshoe is an appropriate role model for her female tween fans. She's resourceful, self-reliant, determined, and fairly bursting with gumption and self-assurance. Once she takes hold of a cause, she always sees it through to the end, and she's never bothered by negative pressure from peers or adults.
But Roxy's strong-willed personality often leads her to make questionable choices, like sneaking out of the house at night or stealing the crystal from the town's lighthouse. She also turns the tables on irritating peers by playing pranks on them, and she speaks and acts rudely to adults. But in the end, she owns up to her wrongdoings and faces the consequences for them.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how the media portrays tweens in general and girls in particular. What characteristics would you say describe Roxy? Are these positive or negative traits? Would you think the same thing if her character was a boy? Do you think the media gives an accurate view of tween life? In your opinion, which tween characters are more believable than others? Why?
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AGE
WANT MY 9 YR OLD TO GET BOOK IFFY FOR 6 YR OLD
I'D LIKE MY 9 YEAR OLD TO READ THE BOOKS. SHE LIKES THE MAGIC TREEHOUSE SERIES, AND SHE LIKES THESE SHOWS.IT MADE MY 6 YEAR OLD ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND SHE WAS A LITTLE SCARED OF THE LITTLE GIRL WHO WAS A "GHOST".
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| Studio: | Sony Pictures |
| Director: | Eleanor Lindo |
| Cast: | Aria Wallace, Demetrius Joyette, Robin Brule |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | February 1, 2008 |
| DVD release date: | July 15, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
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